MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE TO MY DAD
Memorial Day is often the unofficial kickoff for summer. I love that it’s a long weekend that brings people together for barbecues and parades, but let us never, ever forget who we honor on Memorial Day. For my family and thousands of other families, Memorial Day will always have the sting of grief.
Military service runs pretty deep on both sides of my family and my husband’s family. This is a photo of eight men in my immediate family who have done just that. It includes both of my grandfathers, my father, my father-in-law, my husband, my uncle, my cousin, and my brother-in-law. These men served in World War 2, Korea, Vietnam and the War in Iraq/Afghanistan.
Yet, Memorial Day is reserved for honoring and celebrating those that died while serving or from serving the United States in the Armed Forces. My Dad is the only one of these 8 men that fits that bill. So today, I’m celebrating him.
My Dad served in Vietnam from 1968-1972. He was a Pathfinder, an elite group of 3-4 men who would parachute into a combat zone to determine the most practical landing zones and withdrawal routes. Their motto was “First in….Last out,” which meant they were dropped into hostile areas, established landing/drop zones for air and land assaults, stayed through any combat and were the last to be extracted.
To say he was a badass is quite an understatement. Because of his job in the U.S. Army, he often jumped out of the same planes and helicopters that were spraying Agent Orange or would jump into areas that had just been sprayed. If you aren’t familiar, Agent Orange was a “deforestation chemical” used in Vietnam to defoliate the dense jungle.
There are 8 cancers and at least 12 other illnesses that are called “Agent Orange Presumptive Diseases” according the Veterans Association (VA). I believe there are many more that will continue to be added to this list over the next 10-20 years. There is also some evidence and continued research into the genetic effects of Agent Orange exposure in the children and grandchildren of these soldiers.
My dad developed Ischemic Heart Disease (Congestive Heart Failure) due to his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. His heart problems started in 1992, he was officially diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure in 2003, but didn’t start receiving cardiac care and benefits through the VA until around 2006. Do you know when Ischemic Heart Disease was added to the Agent Orange list of presumptive diseases by the VA? Not until 2010. My dad passed away in February 2011. It’s heartbreaking to think about how many men and women, who bravely fought and served their country, have suffered from such horrible physical diseases because of what they were exposed to.
I’m missing my Dad a little extra today, but I’m grateful for th 25 years I had with him. I thought I would wrap this blog post up with a few things my Dad taught me:
To always show respect for the flag, the military and the leadership of the country, regardless of political views
To love BIG
To stand up for myself and speak my mind (sometimes a little too much)
To drive a tractor and pull a trailer
To always go after my dreams
And when the world is going to crap around you, to remember that it’s not about that, it’s about caring for and protecting the person you are in the fox hole with